The new face-lifting acupuncture treatment that claims to take five years off (but could you handle the needles?)

The new face-lifting acupuncture treatment that claims to take five years off (but could you handle the needles)

|

UPDATED:

21:27 GMT, 14 August 2012

A non-surgical alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery is fast becoming the new trend for anti-aging procedures.

AcuFacial, a process that involves strategically placing tiny needles on the body and face, has doctors claiming patients can come away looking five to ten years younger.

Shellie Goldstein, a New York acupuncturist, told Good Morning America: 'We are taking your face to the gym, we’re exercising it. We have muscles in our body, we have muscles in our face, there is no other procedure that actually exercises the muscles and improves circulation in your skin.'

AcuFacial: A non-surgical alternative to botox and cosmetic surgery fast becoming the new trend for anti-aging

Despite the procedure's lack of scientific backing, people are still choosing the process, which costs $150-$200 per session, with results being seen after ten sessions.

While the results of cosmetic surgery can be unnatural, AcuFacial claims to give men and women a similar outcome without having to pull the skin or put anything underneath.

'We're working with your energy. The energy of your body, to lift it up, to work with the muscles of your
face, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve muscle tone and give it a beautiful
overall glow and complexion,' Ms Goldstein said.

Acupuncture, an alternative system of medicine that has its roots in Ancient China, uses sterile stainless steel needles which are inserted into the patient’s acupuncture points, over 600 of which exist in the human body.

The acupuncture points are specific points located along a patient’s Meridians, or channels of energy, each associated with a particular organ, tissue, element and emotion.

'We're working with the energy of your face, to lift it up, to work with the muscles'

An AcuFacial treatment, Ms Goldstein says, uses the same method of
strategically placed needles on the body and face so you 'can come away
looking five to ten years younger'.

Alyson Halter, 35, said her face 'was looking tired' after she gave birth to her daughter.

She said: 'I was starting to see a little bit of
breaking out, I was looking tired. Now my skin looks clear. I rarely wear
make-up, I have a nice glow to face, my eyes don't look tired or puffy, and
I've noticed a lot of tightening, especially in the jaw line area'.

Now on the ninth of her ten planned
treatments, she says: 'Pople look at me and say something is different
but they don’t really know what, and it’s all from the AcuFacial.'

Non-surgical: AcuFacial is a process that involves strategically placed tiny needles on the body and face, which has doctors claiming patients can come away looking five to ten years younger

She also says the procedures are not painful.

'It really just feels like a little pin prick … you don’t feel it after she does it. I usually fall asleep when I get this done,' she admits.

Dalia Carella, in her mid-50s, says the procedure has helped bring back her youthful glow.

'I feel like my skin is the way I used
to feel when I was 30 years old, I just feel nice and taut now and my
skin, I feel like it has such a glow to it like when I was younger', she
said.

Before and after: Alyson Halter, 35,said her face 'was looking tired' after she gave birth to her daughter (left), but after nine AcuFacial treatments (right), she says her jaw line is tighter and now she rarely wears make-up

An initial AcuFacial treatment takes up
to two hours and includes a physical exam, while follow up treatments
are one hour and range from twice per week for the most aggressive
treatment plan, to once a week for one month for milder cases.

Dr Gabrielle Francis, who has been working with Ms Carella for three years, says the overall health of the patient also has an impact upon the results.

She says: 'The healthier someone is overall the more improvement they get and the faster and more long-term it becomes.'